Essex MP Tracey Ramsey is disappointed after hearing Ford Motor Company will eliminate the third shift at the Essex Engine Plant.
Ramsey is a former employee at the plant and says the cancellation will impact the entire community.
She says it's encouraging workers will be able to shift to the Annex Plant to work on the new seven-litre engine but says it's also disappointing because those were supposed to be new jobs for the community.
"I understand there's hope they'll move over into the jobs that previously were thought of being new so they will have an opportunity to go over but the timing of that I think is uncertain at this point and if that will be enough to cover everyone," says Ramsey.
She believes the cancellation will impact those looking for employment with the auto maker in Windsor-Essex.
"I'm also thinking of people in the community who thought when the announcement came that there was going to be new jobs at Ford and they were going to have that opportunity and now quite frankly that's evaporated."
All that being said, Ramsey says local union leaders continue to fight for new products.
"I know that John D'Agnolo the president at Local 200 is working very hard to try to attract some type of investment that going to secure that product of the future," she says.
As heard on AM800 news on Thursday, Unifor Local 200 members were informed of the shift cancellation by the auto maker on Wednesday.
Local 200 President John D'Agnolo says the main reason is a shift in sales of the F-150 pickups.
The union says it's unknown if there will be any job losses due to the elimination of the shift — set to take effect in October.